It feels like months since the Rockets bowed out of the NBA playoffs. Now that the final four teams are set with both conference championships beginning this week, it might be worth asking if the Rockets could hang with any of these teams.
Remember, the Rockets were the fifth best team (by record) in the Western Conference with the seventh best record in the NBA. But by the end of the first round matchup with the Lakers, it felt like they were worse than that.
It’s true that most expected whoever won in the first round would be slapped around by OKC, which is exactly what happened to the Lakers. It doesn’t provide much confidence of a different outcome for the Rockets, but let’s look at the remaining teams (in reverse order by record) and imagine how those series might turn out.
Cleveland Cavaliers
This is, by far, the most interesting matchup for the Rockets were they to have faced them this postseason. The Cavs had the same record at the end of the year and were fairly disappointing for a large part of the season. Yet, here they are in the Eastern Conference finals thanks to stellar play from Donovan Mitchell and a cast that includes former Rockets star James Harden.
Cleveland is a spunky, streaky team that can match up with just about anyone defensively. Their struggles tend to be on the offensive end, but their length presents problems for a lot of teams. We couldn’t help but imagine the matchup between Evan Mobley and Jabari Smith, Jr. We wonder if Jarrett Allen could hold down Alperen Sengun. And an Amen Thompson-Mitchell battle would be spectacular.
Still, the Cavs feel like the tougher team and one with more experience. They managed to knock off a top seeded Detroit team that felt young and not ready for the spotlight. Rockets might wind up suffering the same fate, but it would be a fun series.
Cavs in six.
New York Knicks
Let’s start with worrying about Jalen Brunson. Yes, Thompson could certainly D him up, but he has plenty of weapons around him. OG Anunoby would be a tough handle, assuming he’s healthy, and Karl-Anthony Townes has been known to give the Rockets trouble.
Feels like Madison Square Garden would be a great place for Kevin Durant, but how would the rest of the young team handle the bright lights of New York City? With Townes-Sengun likely a wash, we fear Brunson would run the Rockets ragged, particularly when they had to match him up with Reed Sheppard.
Knicks in five.
San Antonio Spurs
What a shocking turn of events for the Rockets I-10 rivals, a team that was plumbing the depths of the NBA until they punched their lottery ticket with Victor Wembanyama. Suddenly, they are one of the best teams in the NBA and they only appear to be getting better.
Let’s be honest, the Rockets have no one to guard Wemby. They have held him down at moments during the season, but there really is no answer for him. And this is a Rockets team already susceptible to blocked shots even without the league’s best defensive player on the floor.
And the Spurs have done such a great job filling in around Wemby with talented young players, it is difficult to imagine them not dominating the division for years to come, unfortunately.
Spurs in five.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Shei Gilgeous-Alexander is the back-to-back league MVP, and well deserving, but the Thunder are a machine. They play better defense than any team in basketball and are top five in offensive efficiency. They carve teams up the way the Golden State Warriors in their prime.
It is why they are the favorites to repeat as champions this season. And as much as we would love to believe the Rockets could compete with them in a long series, we know better.
Thunder in four.
